Miscellaneous Hints, Tips, & Suggestions

1. Turbochargers can be rebuilt, contrary to Honda's line. Try the following leads:

   • Mr. TURBO
     Houston, TX 281-442-7113

   • Southeast Diesel, Inc.
     Chatanooga, TN 615-622-1006

   • Diesel Injection & Electric Co.
     Forest Park, GA 404-361-2222

   • Turbonetics
     Simi Valley, CA 805-581-0333

   • Blaylock Turbochargers
     Baxter Springs, KS.
     If you are interested please be sure to contact Marc A. Powe ( marc_blaylockturbo@hotmail.com ) directly for motorcycle related turbo work.

2. If ever you remove your turbocharger, spend the extra couple bucks for a new oil-feed line to the top of the turbo, along with the corresponding O-rings. Our bikes are over fifteen years old, and these oil lines have been known to burst. And no oil to the turbocharger = $$$$$$.

3. When reattaching the exhaust pipe to the turbocharger, use a high temperature anti-seize compound on the stud bolts into the turbocharger.

4. Tighten an oil pump chain to spec at its tightest point in rotation, even if it means that it is out of spec at its loosest point.

5. Transform the steering feel of your Turbo! Dispense with the stock front tire dimensions of 100/90 and install a Metzeler ME33 Lazer 110/80 VB18. Someone once gave me this advise, but I was leery to try it. Then I bought a CX650T with this tire already in place. WOW!! What a difference! Instead of fighting the bike into a turn, I now virtually THINK it into a turn!

6. If your fork tubes are currently in good shape, a quick wipe with a rag after every ride will continue to keep the fork seals happy and leak-free.

7. The expensive platinum tip spark plugs will last much longer than the 2,000 mile replacement interval stated in the manual. Just regap about every 2,000 miles to keep the gap within spec.

8. A strong, healthy battery is vital to the starting of the CXT. ALWAYS fully charge a new battery after filling it with electrolyte before putting it into service. If you do not, you will NEVER have 100% of the battery's cranking capacity, no matter how much you charge it later.

9. After breaking a sparkplug free, blow out the sparkplug cavity with compressed air and visually inspect for foreign matter before removing the plug fully.

10. It is possible to carefully split the main fairing into its two halves, drop an additional support bracket from the horn mount in the center, and thus greatly reduce the effort, preparation and time required for future fairing removals.

11. Some people have reported that the ECU can go berserk somewhere above 10,000 feet in altitude, causing a sudden drastic drop in performance. A quick off-on of the ignition key will reset the computer, but good luck getting over that pass! Rumor also has it that this occurs because Japanese engineers failed to factor in some of the higher roads we have in America when programming the parameters into the PROM over in Japan. Just a rumor. Don't quote me on it.

12. When the Pro-Link suspension fittings are not regularly greased, all type of clicks and squeaks can be heard from down there. Most of us wait to hear these clicks before we decide it is time to lubricate the Pro-Link. At this point, wear has already taken place. Unfortunately, it is a real pain to grease up the works, as you have to completely disassemble the parts. As long as you have it apart, why not install Zerk grease nipples? You will never have to disassemble the Pro-Link again. Just a quick squirt of the grease gun every 10,000 miles, and you are off and riding again. For a detailed plan of installing these nipples, see issue #4 of TURBO NEWS.

13. Never shut off a turbocharged bike immediately after a hard run where heavy boost was used. The turbocharger may experience "heat soak", continuing to build up internal heat without the oil flow to carry the heat away. Bearing failure or cracked housings may occur. After a hard run, one or two minutes of idling before shutting off the bike is sufficient to cool to turbocharger. A couple minutes of easy riding on surface streets on the way home is also sufficient time after a hard run.

14. A service bulletin was issued regarding fork seals on the CXT and '83-'84 VF700/750F. Fork seals are updated, and the foam dust collector under the dust boot should be removed.

15. There is a service bulletin out for the front brake master cylinder cap on the CX650T. Some may seep brake fluid. Order a modified cap set, P/N 45540-MA6-621, Honda code 1747146.

16. There is a service bulletin out for the final drive breather cap on the CX650T. Some may emit oil mist through the cap. If after checking for the proper oil level in the final drive unit, the cap still emits oil mist, order the modified final drive breather cap, P/N 41306-ME5-305, Honda code 1534924.

17. Regarding the Turbo Diagnostic Tool Kit, specifically the CX500TC/CX650T Inspection Adapter, P/N 07999-MC7-000, Honda code 1204254 included in the aforementioned Tool Kit: Some of these adapters were miswired, and will show incorrect test readings of output voltage unless they are rewired. Check for color-to-color continuity between the pink, white, and green wires. If there is color-to-color continuity, the adapter is good. If not, remove the electrical tape from the female connector. Depress the tabs, pull out the pink and green wire terminals, and reconnect them in reverse. Retape the female connector.

18. Want to substantially increase the light output from your headlamps? Run your high and low beams through independent relays. There is room to mount these behind the headlight assembly. Cut the blue and white wires about four inches from the bulb socket. Use the upstream ends (which come from the hi-low switch on the handlebar) to switch two separate relays. Run a 10-12 gauge wire directly from the battery to each relay to provide power to each filament. Bypassing the skimpy wire in the bike's wiring harness in this way yields noticeably brighter illumination. Don't think it would make that big a difference? Right now, flip on you bike's high beam, and run a 10-gauge wire direct from the positive terminal of the battery to the blue wire behind the bulb, and observe the improvement!

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